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In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the element of irony is frequently used in order to enhance the moral principles of the tales and to mock the flaws in society.
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In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the element of irony is frequently used in order to enhance the moral principles of the tales and to mock the flaws in society. This usage of irony is noticeably seen in the Wife of Bath's tale of a knight whose penalty for raping a maiden is to discover what women truly desire above all. Irony is present in the interceding of the queen, the offers of the old hag, and the transformation of the hag into a beautiful young woman. First and foremost, the knight comes upon an unaware maiden and takes advantage of her resulting in the serious punishment of beheading. Immediately the reader shall recognize and think it strange that the knight is indeed the traditional hero of the story although he happens to be a rapist. The queen then speaks upon his behalf and presents him with the challenge to find what...
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